Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Zimbabwe rules out foreign partners in diamond mine

(Reuters) - Zimbabwe will not seek foreign partners to mine diamonds in the east of the country and has stopped all illegal mining in a controversial area granted to a state firm, a government minister said on Monday.

Over 20,000 illegal miners descended on the Marange diamond deposit in the eastern province of Manicaland last August, sparking fears by the World Diamond Council (WDC) that some of the diamonds were finding their way to the black market against rules set up to curb trade in gems from conflict zones.


Read more at Reuters Africa